Carrier



(No Model.)

v2 Smeets- Sheet` 1.

E. HWNFLORY.

EGG CARRIER.

Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E. H. FLORY. EGG CARRIER.

N PETERS, Phnm-Lnnagmpher. wamngte, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIE HENRY FLORY, OF ABBEVILLE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MOSES FISCHER, OF SAME PLACE.V

Ecc-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,197', dated February 25, 1890. Application tiled September I6J 1889. Serial No. 324,102. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIE HENRY FLORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Abbeville, in the parish of Vermillion and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Carriers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to boxes for packing and transferring eggs and other articles, and has for its object to improve the construction of the box having removable sides, 'folding ends, and dividing-partitions, so that when the box is to be returned to the shipper the straw-board egg-compartments can be folded and laid in the bottom of the box,where they will be held by the folding ends, which serve as a cover to such bottom compartment of the boxvhile the movable sides will Iit within the top proper of the box, such top being applied so as to form a cover for the whole.

The invention will be hereinafter particularly described and then claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure l is a perspective showing the box l in its condition for transporting eggs; Fig. 2,

a perspective showing it in its folded condition for return tothe shipper; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section through the box; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section; Fig. 5, a vertical longitudinal section through the box, showing an arrangement of trays for packing fruit; Fig. 6, a perspective 0f one of the trays removed; Fig. 7 a perspective of a portion of the tray with its sides folded.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the bottom of the box, formed with sides B and ends C, so as to form a compartment in the bottom which will constitute a box or receptacle to receive the folding egg-cells. The ends of the box proper consist of the boards D, hinged at their lower ends to blocks or strips E, set within the bottom section across their ends, so that the end boards will stand above the bottom and when raised to their upright position will rest on said blocks with their outer faces bearing against the ends C, whereby the end boards will be braced and strengthened in their raised position during the transportation of the eggs. These end boards are alsoprovided on their upright edges with metal bands F, which protect the edges and also projectinwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to form fianges to bear against the outside of the side boards when in position and thus assist in holding the side boards in their upright position. These flanges, when the end boards are folded down, iit into grooves G, formed in the strips H, so as to allow the end boards to fold closely down. These anges fitting into such grooves also aid in holding the end boards snugly to their closed position and take off any lateral strain that might result from any cause.

The strips H, it will be observed, fit below the top edge of the sidesB and form a fiange I above the strips, so that when the side boards J are in place they will rest on the strips H, and the flange I, in connection With the flanges projecting from the end boards, Will prevent theside boardsfrom being pushed outwardly. The side boards are held from falling inwardly by a cross partition-board K, Whose ends fit into grooves L, made in the strips H and in the side boards. This partition also serves to divide the length of the box into two compartments, each. large enough to receive the eggcells when opened for the re ception of the eggs and to prevent the cells from moving in the box. It is formed with two openings M,so as to afford a hold for the fingers of the hand in putting the partition in and lifting it out of position.

` The top or cover N of the box is formed with downwardly-extending end and side pieces, forming fianges O, adapted to iit down over the end and side boards when the top is applied, and the end pieces of the top are provided with angular hooks P, fitted to the end pieces so as to turn to bring their bent or horizontal ends Q under a lug or block R,

secured to the outside of the end boards, so as to prevent the top from being lifted, while the straight or upright portion of the hook may fit into a groove c in the lug, so as to guard and brace against lateral movement of the fop. This lug or block R may have piv` oted latches S, adapted to be turned so as to lie across the plane of movement of the bent portion of the hook, and thus prevent the accidental movement of the hook and displacement of the top.

When the carrier is -folded for transportation, the hooks of the top enter angular recesses T, formed in the end pieces C, so that the top is held securely in place and prevented from being lifted from off the box and from moving laterally. A recess d may7 be formed for the insertion of the finger to reach the end of the hook when the cover is to be unlocked.

In removing eggs from this carrier or box,

of egg-cells on one side of the partition are lifted at one time from out of the box, and after all the cells are removed from both compartments and the box is to be returned to the shipper the eggcells are collapsed or folded together, with the cross-partition laid in the bottom of the box and the end boards next folded down on them, covering them and holding them against movement and injury. The side boards are next placed inside of the top or cover N and the cover set on the bottom portion and the hooks turned so as to lock it to its place, and the box with all its cells is read)7 to be sent back to the shipper, occupying only about one-sixth of the space when received packed with eggs.

When the box is to be used for packing and transporting fruit, the ends C will be provided with cleats f, on which will rest the trays U. These trays are composed each of the bottom g, to which are hinged the. folding sides and ends V. These sides and ends `are strips of suitable material secured to the bottom by links h, which pass through hooks t', secured some to the side and end strips and others to the bottom, so as to allow t-he sides and ends to fold down into the bottoms when the trays are to be lowered in the bottom of the box, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In order to support the sides and ends in an upright position when they are in position for transporting, as shown in the upper part of Fig. l, I provide end connections and braces W, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 6. .These braces are preferably of the form i1lustrated--that is, they have one arm j, which passes through a loop k, secured to the end of the end strips, and a point Z, which can enter a perforation m, made in the bottom, and the arm fn, which enters a loop 7c secured to the end of the side pieces. The arm j is made longer than the arm n, so lthat the brace can be lifted to remove the short arm from its loop without the long arm leaving its loop, and thus the connection between the end and side strips can be disengaged without the brace being wholly disconnected from both the side and end strips. When the end connections are thus disengaged, the braces can be folded, as shown in Fig. 6. I prefer to provide the braces with a depending loop o, so as to reduce the size of the opening otherwise existing between the end and side strips, and thus the possibility of small fruit passing between the end and side strips at the corners is prevented. This tray is easily set up and folded and takes up very little room in the box when packed for return transportation. The sides of the box may be perforated, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

I-Iaving described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim isl. The folding egg-carrier having removable side boards and folding end boards formed with flanges bearing against the side boards when raised, and the strips l-I against the inside of the sides B, below the top edge thereof; and formed with the grooves or ways G, said strips serving to support the side boards when raised and the end boards when folded, and the groove serving to receive the flanges on the sides of the end boards, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The egg-carrier composed of the bottom portion having raised ends and sides and provided With end blocks and side strips below the raised ends and sides, in combination with the end boards hinged to said end blocks above the bottom, so as to bear against the raised ends when elevated, and provided with side iianges, and the removable side boards resting on said strips and held against outward movement by the flanges on the raised sides and the flanges on the folding end boards, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an egg-carrier, the combination, with the top N, provided with the pivoted angular hook Q, projecting from the under edge of its end, and the bottom portion provided with the angular recess T in its'ends C, of the end blocks below the top edge of the ends C and the end boards hinged to said blocks above the bottom, so as to bear against the raised ends C when elevated, and provided with the blocks R, formed with a groove cand located, as'shown, so that when the end board is raised the block will be brought into position to receive the hook into its recess and when folded the block will lie within the box, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A carrier-tray composed of the bottom provided with folding end and side strips of such relative length as to allow one of said parts to lie between the other when both are folded without one lying upon the other, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

IIO

right position7 substantilly as and for the purposes set forth. 1o

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELIE HENRY FLORY. W itn esses:

MEYER MESTAYER, GILBERT LABAUVE, Jr. 

